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be sent about it straight。
＇Exit。＇
SIR JOHN。 Yea； do so。 In the mean space this remains For kind sir
John of Wrotham； honest Jack。 Me thinks the purse of gold the Bishop
gave Made a good show； it had a tempting look。 Beshrew me； but my
fingers' ends to itch To be upon those rudduks。 Well； tis thus： I am not as
the world does take me for； If ever wolf were clothed in sheep's coat； Then
I am he；old huddle and twang； yfaith； A priest in show； but in plain terms
a thief。 Yet； let me tell you too； an honest thief； One that will take it where
it may be spared； And spend it freely in good fellowship。 I have as many
shapes as Proteus had； That still； when any villainy is done； There may be
none suspect it was sir John。 Besides； to comfort me；for what's this life；
Except the crabbed bitterness thereof； Be sweetened now and then with
lechery？ I have my Doll； my concubine； as twere； To frolic with； a lusty
bouncing girl。 But whilst I loiter here； the gold may scape； And that must
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not be so。 It is mine own； Therefore； I'll meet him on his way to court；
And shrive him of it： there will be the sport。
＇Exit。＇
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SCENE III。 Kent。 An outer court before lord
Cobham's house。
＇Enter three or four poor people： some soldiers； some old men。＇
FIRST。 God help！ God help！ there's law for punishing； But there's no
law for our necessity： There be more stocks to set poor soldiers in； Than
there be houses to relieve them at。
OLD MAN。 Faith； housekeeping decays in every place； Even as Saint
Peter writ； still worse and worse。
FOURTH。 Master mayor of Rochester has given commandment； that
none shall go abroad out of the parish； and they have set an order down
forsooth； what every poor householder must give towards our relief：
where there be some ceased； I may say to you； had almost as much need to
beg as we。
FIRST。 It is a hard world the while。
OLD MAN。 If a poor man come to a door to ask for God's sake； they
ask him for a license； or a certificate from a Justice。
SECOND。 Faith we have none but what we bear upon our bodies； our
maimed limbs； God help us。
FOURTH。 And yet； as lame as I am； I'll with the king into France； if I
can crawl but a shipboard。 I had rather be slain in France； than starve in
England。
OLD MAN。 Ha； were I but as lusty as I was at the battle of Shrewbury；
I would not do as I do： but we are now come to the good lord
Cobham's； to the best man to the poor that is in all Kent。
FOURTH。 God bless him！ there be but few such。
＇Enter Lord Cobham with Harpoole。＇
COBHAM。 Thou peevish； froward man； what wouldst thou have？
HARPOOLE。 This pride； this pride； brings all to beggary。 I served
your father； and your grandfather； Show me such two men now！ No！ No！
Your backs； your backs； the devil and pride； Has cut the throat of all good
housekeeping。 They were the best Yeomens' masters； That ever were in
England。
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COBHAM。 Yea； except thou have a crew of seely knaves And sturdy
rogues still feeding at my gate； There is no hospitality with thee。
HARPOOLE。 They may sit at the gat well enough； but the devil of any
thing you give them； except they will eat stones。
COBHAM。 Tis long； then； of such hungry knaves as you。
＇Pointing to the beggars。＇
Yea； sir； here's your retinue； your guests be come。 They know their
hours； I warrant you。
OLD MAN。 God bless your honour！ God save the good Lord
Cobham And all his house！
SOLDIER。 Good your honour； bestow your blessed alms Upon poor
men。
COBHAM。 Now； sir； here be your Alms knights。 Now are you As
safe as the Emperour。
HARPOOLE。 My Alms knights！ nay； th' are yours。 It is a shame for
you； and I'll stand too 't； Your foolish alms maintains more vagabonds；
Than all the noblemen in Kent beside。 Out； you rogues； you knaves！ work
for your livings！ Alas； poor men！ O Lord； they may beg their hearts out；
There's no more charity amongst men than amongst So many mastiff
dogs！What make you here； You needy knaves？ Away； away； you
villains。
SECOND SOLDIER。 I beseech you； sir； be good to us。
COBHAM。 Nay； nay； they know thee well enough。 I think that all
the beggars in this land are thy acquaintance。 Go bestow your alms； none
will control you； sir。
HARPOOLE。 What should I give them？ you are grown so beggarly；
you have scarce a bit of bread to give at your door。 You talk of your
religion so long； that you have banished charity from amongst you； a man
may make a flax shop in your kitchen chimneys； for any fire there is
stirring。
COBHAM。 If thou wilt give them nothing； send them hence： let
them not stand here starving in the cold。
HARPOOLE。 Who！ I drive them hence？ If I drive poor men from
your door； I'll be hanged； I know not what I may come to my self。 Yea；
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God help you； poor knaves； ye see the world； yfaith！ Well； you had a
mother： well； God be with thee； good Lady； thy soul's at rest。 She gave
more in shirts and smocks to poor children； than you spend in your
house； & yet you live a beggar too。
COBHAM。 Even the worst deed that ere my mother did was in
relieving such a fool as thou。
HARPOOLE。 Yea； yea； I am a fool still。 With all your wit you will
die a beggar； go too。
COBHAM。 Go； you old fool； give the poor people something。 Go in；
poor men； into the inner court； and take such alms as there is to be had。
SOLDIER。 God bless your honor。
HARPOOLE。 Hang you； rogues； hang you； there's nothing but misery
amongst you； you fear no law； you。
＇Exit。＇
OLD MAN。 God bless you； good master Rafe； God save your life； you
are good to the poor still。
＇Enter the Lord Powis disguised； and shroud himself。＇
COBHAM。 What fellow's yonder comes along the grove？ Few
passengers there be that know this way： Me thinks he stops as though he
stayed for me； And meant to shroud himself amongst the bushes。 I know
the Clergy hate me to the death； And my religion gets me many foes： And
this may be some desperate rogue； suborned To work me mischief。As it
pleaseth God！ If he come toward me； sure I'll stay his coming Be he but
one manwhat so'er he be。
＇The Lord Powis comes on。＇
I have been well acquainted with that face。
POWIS。 Well met； my honorable lord and friend。
COBHAM。 You are welcome； sir； what ere you be； But of this sudden；
sir； I do not know you。
POWIS。 I am one that wisheth well unto your honor； My name is
Powis； an old friend of yours。
COBHAM。 My honorable lord； and worthy friend； What makes your
lordship thus alone in Kent； And thus disguised in this strange attire？
POWIS。 My Lord； an unexpected accident Hath at this time inforc'd
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me to these parts； And thus it hapt：Not yet full five days since； Now at
the last Assize at Hereford； It chanced that the lord Herbert and my self；
Mongst other things； discoursing at the table； Did fall in speech about
some certain points Of Wickliffe's doctrine gainst the papacy And the
religion catholique； maintained Through the most part of Europe at this
day。 This wilful teasty lord stuck not to say That Wickliffe was a knave； a
schismatic； His doctrine devilish and heretical； And what soe'er he was
maintained the same； Was traitor both to God and to his